Massachusetts Judge Declares Mistrial In Mother Lindsay Clancy Murder Case After Emergency Appeal Fails

A Massachusetts mother on trial in the death of her three children has had her murder trial declared a mistrial, CNN reported.

The defendant, Lindsay Clancy, was facing a high-profile murder trial in Massachusetts in the death of her three children.

The mistrial was declared after an emergency appeal filed by the defense was denied by the state’s highest court, court records show.

On Friday, September 4, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court concluded an emergency hearing on the appeal, according to reports.

The high court denied the appeal after the trial judge shared his intention to declare a mistrial amid a deadlocked jury, court records show.

Judge William Sullivan granted Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, an hour to seek an emergency stay, according to CNN.

That window was granted before a mistrial was formally declared in the proceedings, the network reported.

Judge Sullivan addressed the jury directly before declaring a mistrial in the controversial case, court records show.

“I’m kind of a history buff and during World War II, Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of England when England pretty much stood against Nazi Germany alone,” Judge Sullivan said.

“So Churchill [often] had to talk to the citizens and let us brace for our duties,” the judge told jurors.

“I always like that phrase, and I thought of that phrase when all of you were agreeing to be on this jury,” Sullivan said.

“You agreed to brace for that duty and each one of you knew how long the case was going to go, you knew how difficult the case was going to be to listen to, facts-wise,” Sullivan said. “But still, you braced for that duty.”

“I watched every day, day after day, week after week, [and] all of you [were] performing that duty that you braced for,” Sullivan continued.

“And I kind of wanted to let you know: I understand how hard everyone worked in this case,” Sullivan told the panel.

“I understood you all gave everything you could and probably more than you thought you could … I just want to thank you so much,” the judge said.

“You should be proud of what you did,” Sullivan told the jurors.

“You braced for that duty,” Sullivan said. “You performed that duty.”

The Supreme Judicial Court had turned down Reddington’s appeal aimed at preventing a mistrial, CNN reported.

“Intervention is necessary in this case to avoid an avoidable mistrial of a case that is so time and labor intensive and that has captured so much public attention,” Clancy’s defense team argued in the emergency request, obtained by NBC Boston.

“It is also necessary to preserve the Defendant’s right to a fair trial by unbiased jurors applying the law and to avoid violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments and Article 114, which makes mental illness a protected category,” the filing stated.

“A mistrial at this point is entirely avoidable, but only if the court does its job,” the defense filing also states.

The Supreme Judicial Court judge praised the defense before issuing a ruling, according to CNN.

“I think I understand your argument,” the judge reportedly told the defense team, per CNN.

“Although it was quick papers it was good papers and I understand the distinction that you’re making,” the judge said. “I now have to make a decision.”

The future of the case remains unclear, according to reports.

Another hearing has been scheduled for September 29, court records show.